There have been some statements and actions this week that have been simply head-scratching. We’re going to examine the actions of the National Football League and former NFL coach and part-time preacher Tony Dungy and try to shed some light.
We start with the multiple reports that the National Football League has suspended Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice for two games for violation of the personal conduct policy. If you remember, Rice was caught on camera dragging his then fiance, now wife out of an elevator after allegedly knocking her unconscious.
“It is important that the NFL be represented consistently by outstanding people as well as great football players, coaches, and staff,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said. “We hold ourselves to higher standards of responsible conduct because of what it means to be part of the National Football League. We have long had policies and programs designed to encourage responsible behavior, and this policy is a further step in ensuring that everyone who is part of the NFL meets that standard. We will continue to review the policy and modify it as warranted.”
Imagine how upset Goodell and the league would have been if Rice were on Adderall?
So just so I have this straight, Josh Gordon samples a little marijuana and gets a 16-game suspension and Ray Rice knocks out his wife and gets two games?
I guess as long as we’re fair and consistent.
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Moving on to former Super Bowl winning head coach Tony Dungy, who said that he wouldn’t have drafted reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year Michael Sam, due to the distraction of him being the NFL’s first openly gay athlete.
“I was asked whether I would have drafted Michael Sam and I answered that I would not have drafted him. I gave my honest answer, which is that I felt drafting him would bring much distraction to the team,” Dungy writes. At the time of my interview, the Oprah Winfrey reality show that was going to chronicle Michael’s first season had been announced.”
On the surface I have absolutely no problem with what Dungy said. If a borderline NFL talent such as Sam (a tweener) is going to bring a huge media distraction with him, it’s completely understandable that a coach not want that.
St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam handled the criticism perfectly.
“I just thank God that he (Dungy) wasn’t the St. Louis Rams coach. I have a lot of respect for Coach Dungy and like everyone in America, everyone is entitled to their own opinions.
So here’s where the hypocrisy comes in. Dungy is outspoken in his faith and has lauded organizations that are anti gay-marriage.
Again, that’s his beliefs and he’s completely entitled to them.
However, Dungy was beating the drum a few years ago for teams to take a chance on convicted felon Michael Vick. To look past the distraction that would come with having a convicted animal torturer on your roster. Although the Michael Sam story has been much bigger than Vick, the same apples and oranges apply.
Tony Dungy takes a holier than thou approach and he has the right to express his opinions to anyone that will listen. It just seems a little hypocritical that he would say publicly that he wouldn’t have drafted Sam (even though it’s obviously true) because of the distraction and distraction only when he campaigned so publicly for Michael Vick.
